Origin - Early 16th century (as a noun; originally Scots and northern English): of unknown origin.

The most popular pets are dogs and cats but people also keep house rabbits, ferrets; rodents such as gerbils, hamsters, chinchillas, fancy rats, and guinea pigs; avian pets, such as canaries, parakeets, corvids, parrots, and chickens; reptile pets, such as turtles, lizards and snakes; aquatic pets, such as goldfish, tropical fish and frogs; and arthropod pets, such as tarantulas and hermit crabs.

In NSW not all native animals can be kept as pets, but some species which have been bred in captivity can be kept. None of these animals may be caught in the wild. For most native animals you require a biodiversity conservation licence under Part 2 of the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 to keep them as pets. You must obtain your licence before you start keeping any native animals as a pet.

Some native birds, like budgerigars, can be kept without a licence.

Licences help us protect and maintain healthy native animal populations and make sure pet owners have enough experience to safely care for their animals. You must be at least 16 years old to hold a licence. Before you apply for a licence, you’ll need to decide what animal you want to keep.

The most common native animals kept as pets are snakes, lizards, frogs and birds.